Should You Join the First-Generation Faculty and Staff Directory?

The College of Charleston celebrates the experiences of first-generations students and is working to build a strong community around them.

To that end, in October 2024, the Academic Success and Retention Office (then the Center for Academic Performance and Persistence) launched the First-Generation Staff and Faculty Directory to connect first-generation students – typically defined as someone whose guardian(s) did not complete a four-year college degree – with faculty and staff who understand their unique experiences and challenges. The directory aims to provide a resource for first-gen students looking to build a network of support and mentorship that they can lean on when they have questions, need advice or simply need to know they’re not alone.

Faculty and staff who identify as first-generation college graduates are encouraged to add their names to this voluntary list by using this online form or emailing ASRO@cofc.edu.

Faculty and staff may also indicate that they are interested in being included as a mentor to students who identify with one of the categories under the Individual Experiences section of the directory: Parenting Students, International and First-Generation Americans, LGBTQ+ and Ally, Military and Veteran and AALANA. First-gen students who identify with these groups often face unique challenges and complexities as they progress through college.

Your presence in the First-Generation Faculty and Staff Directory helps our students feel supported and understood as they complete their degrees.